Where It All Begins Again.. (Omega Protectorate)

[Ventasia Terana]

Omega Tower

Fondor, home of the Omega Protectorate. A planet that had experienced its fare share of scars. It was also the place that a certain red head had adopted as her new home, though she would always be Corellian by blood. Most would think there was little she could complain about. She was powerful, intelligent, and known for her sarcastic demeanor. Yet, things had taken a savage turn in recent times. Starting with the sudden split loss of some of the groups most prominent members, and ending with the sudden tragic death of someone extremely close to her heart. Indeed, it had been a rough time for the former Jedi who'd found herself basically living the life of a mercenary.

Following all of that, Ventasia did the only thing one could do. She needed space. To think, to breathe. With that, and no words to the ones she'd become accustomed to standing next to, she left. No destination in sight, and no idea what life may throw at her next, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that she had separation, distance form the things that seemed to plague her in the heated days and the dead of night. She wanted to forget with all her being, but that was impossible now. The things she'd been through had been engraved into her being, and were part of her. As they would be for the remainder of her life. Yet, something was pulling her back. There was a reason for her to return to the same place which she had ran from...even if she didn't know what that reason was.

Regardless, it was this that drove her back. That urged her to return, to face the truth and find the answers she so desperately needed, though simply standing before the office of the Protectorate leader wasn't going to get her anywhere. Neither was it going to mend the many fences she'd smashed but disappearing the way she had. Still, what was she to say? How could she possibly explain why she'd left? Or for that matter, why she looked as if she hadn't slept in months. Nonetheless, it all had to start somewhere. And this was as good a place as any. With a simple sigh, she stepped forward, the door sliding open as she stepped into the room, her feet stopping just a few feet from the door as she looked up at hatted man.

"Ayden..."

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Ayden Cater]

The shutters of the office were drawn, casting darkness over the entire room save for a small cube that floated in front the Lord Protector. His features were bathed in its soft viridian light, accentuating the intense contraction etched over his face. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as his whole body floated in front of the holocron. Working on such a device was not one that came lightly or easily, but it was necessary. Into it he poured his knowledge of the Force, the knowledge to pour one's Force essence into another, strengthening them, or even to wholly transfer one's entire essence into another body. He also poured the knowledge of his designs and creations into it, turning into a repository of literally everything he knew of value.

After fending off the Fringe at Eriadu, there was a growing panic that their livelihood was in danger. First the Atrisians had invaded Fondor, then the Fringe at Eriadu. Yet the opposition pointed out how swiftly the Atrisians had been blown away and that the Fringe had been turned back, a task all the more impressive due to their stonewalling of the Republic at O'Reen. A military that had stopped the Republic war machine in its tracks had been turned back by the Protectorate. That gave a lot of people hope. Yet in the quiet places of his mind, Ayden secretly sided with those fears. Eriadu had been a harrowing victory. After battle reports indicated just how quickly the generators had been overrun and destroyed. Had the Protectorate not held the advantageous orbit that it did, the next step would have been Fringe dropships landing with thousands of troops. And Ayden wasn't sure if the Protectorate could have halted them then.

So the generators were rebuilt, a new orbital station was put in place, and the people were happy, but Ayden still worried. And that's what prompted him to continue work on his holocron. If something happened to him, his successor would need to know everything he had done, everything he had planned. Of course he had no intention of being killed. He had dozens of contingency plans for all manner of unwanted events, but this was just another one that was needed. Hopefully he'd be able to pass it on to an apprentice, living and in person, but he was a realist.

When he felt a presence coming, Ayden opened his eyes with a small smile and quietly set out to wrap up his present task. When the door slid open, the shutters began to retract, letting light stream in. At the same time, Ayden let his feet touch the ground while taking his holocron into his hands. Its light faded as his hand curled around it. He turned and placed it on his desk before turning to face the woman who had come to his office. He recognized her after a moment. She was one of the distinguished combatants from Kayri. He didn't know the full results of what happened to the ground forces on that planet, but he knew that despite all the commendations that had been thrown at her, the woman had vanished. That she had come back now...

He smiled as she used his first name rather than some title. It was nice to be addressed as a person and not a head of state every once in a while. "[member="Ventasia Terana"]. What can I do for you?" His voice seemed to fill the room without effort as he leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

[Ventasia Terana]

Her gaze remained the well known hatted man. Admittedly, the question he posed to Ventasia threw her for a proverbial loop. Maybe it was the way he was so calm in asking? Or maybe it simply was that he really hadn't noticed. Or perhaps, at the heart of it, she expected too much. Was he supposed to jump down her throat? Run and hug her? Neither truly seemed like something Ayden would do, yet still, it left her feeling a bit confused. Wasn't this supposed to her her home? Her 'family'? Or was that too all in her mind?

Rubbing at her bloodshot eyes, the normally volatile red head moved from the doorway, choosing to instead lean back against the wall just to the door's right. At that moment, her lips remain sealed, as if unsure of what was next. The silence lingered within the air, creating a slightly awkward few moments, at least for herself. With her hand finally moving from her face, her arms crossed over her chest as an ever deep sigh escaped her lips. "I don't know. What can you do for me? I disappeared, and there was so much as the slightest hint that you noticed. Actually, it didn't seemed like you even cared." Her eyes narrowed at the Protectorate leader, voice remaining ever calm. "So, you asked me what you can do for me. Perhaps I should ask you why I shouldn't pack my things and leave for good?"

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Ventasia Terana"]

Ayden smiled a mirthless smile and looked down briefly before looking back up at the somewhat distraught red-head. He had of course read the reports and briefs on Ventasia after Kayri. A few standard psych evals and tangently related reports and it wasn't too hard to figure out what had happened when she disappeared. "Sometimes what it means to be a family is letting someone go to find their own way, to find out who they are without interference or persuasion." His voice carried with it that recognizable Corellian warmth, even as he situated himself against the desk.

While a strong sense of family and duty was instilled in the Protectorate military, Ayden was somewhat worried that perhaps she had taken that a bit too literally with regards to her expectations. She seemed to want something from him, some kind of recognition beyond formality, as to her place within the Protectorate. "As far as noticing your absence, you'd be surprised to learn that a great many noticed the disappearance of the Hero at Kayri. To the point that I couldn't not say something about it. So I told the ones who needed to know the most that you had been sent on a special mission."

He leaned off the desk and walked around it, digging out a bottle of whiskey before setting it on the table. "Why shouldn't you pack your things?" Ayden looked at her briefly with a small smile before pulling two glasses out. "Well you could. I mean, you did once before. But then again..." He trailed off while pouring the pair a drink and set the bottle down. "If it were that simple, I don't think we'd be having this discussion. You want something; whether it's a favor, or the rights words, or a blessing, you want something." He picked up his glass and swirled the amber liquid inside.

"Maybe you want to be reassured that you still have a place in the Protectorate? Well, if anyone other than a well-known hero had up and left without a formal leave request, they'd probably be court-martialed and discharged. Not something I really want to do. Maybe you want to hear that you were missed a great deal? You were missed enough that I had to cover for you." Ayden brought the glass up and downed his shot with a smile before turning somber while returning his gaze to Ventasia. "Being a part of a family also means letting others know when you're hurt. I can't exactly go looking for you in a galaxy when you didn't so much as leave a note."

 

[Ventasia Terana]

More silence. More empty gazing at the hatted figure before her. He answered each question so seamlessly, so relaxed. As if every single remark was natural, and the way he actually felt. Of course, these days, her abilities to read into people were quite questionable, as was her abilities to read her own self. She looked the same way she felt; a shell of who she was. Even with all of that, there was one thing that didn't change regardless of what she went through; her ability to turn to certain drinks when things didn't go her way.

Standing up from the wall, Ventasia sauntered to the desk, reaching down and taking the remaining glass within her hand. Her gaze shifted down towards the liquid within the glass, her eyes following as her wrist rotated slightly, swirling the liquid within. "Family, huh? That's not exactly a word I really know anymore. I've become a bit of a lone wolf, wouldn't you say? Force knows I haven't exactly made it so you can actually count on me. So, I don't think you can really count me in when you say the word family. That said.." With a swift motion, she brought the glass to her lips, downing the strong swill in one quick gulp before returning it back to the table with an audible thud. "I didn't come here looking for absolution. If that was what I wanted, I could easily find it anywhere in the galaxy. I came here because I needed to see something. To hear something. To find something out." Her gaze locked onto the empty glass on the table, still within her hand.

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Ayden Cater]

"Absolution is a rare thing. Certainly worth traveling the stars for." Ayden answered with a small smile. Well she hadn't gone nuts and tried to blow him up with her. That was a good start. And she proved him right when she finished speaking. She was looking for something. "If you're looking for something and I can help in some way, then I'd certainly be willing to do so. Within reason, of course." Ayden looked at her for a moment before setting the bottle beside her glass. She looked like she could use more than just a single glass at the moment, and the gods certainly knew he had more bottles than that one.

"You've already come this far. Marched up to my office and stepped inside. Might as well take the full plunge." His voice took on a very genuine tone as he shifted and leaned forward in his chair, elbows resting against the hardwood of the desk. "What is it that took you away, Ventasia, and what is it that brought you back? What are you looking for?"

[member="Ventasia Terana"]

 

[Ventasia Terana]

Her gaze remained locked on the glass within her hand as he continued to talk. Almost always she completely tuned others out, not wanting to hear anything they had to say. After all, if it wasn't what she wanted to hear, then why would it matter to her? Simple answer; it didn't. Grabbing at the neck of the bottle, she raised and turned it over, the liquid beginning to pour into the glass. It was only seconds before the container was filled once more, her hand turning to return the bottle to its normal, upright position. The glass raised once more, holding it at chest height. However, things could not remain calm..

Being asked why she had left, and why she had returned seemed to light a spark that was all to familiar to those who knew her. Eyes bugled as her teeth clenched, her rage building all too quickly. Without warning, her arm slung outward, the glass clasped her in her hand flying across the room and smashing against the wall. Ventasia's hands slammed onto the desk as she leaned forward, eye to eye with the hatted protectorate leader. "Are you kidding me?! Did you really ask that?! You know me better than that, so don't get coy! You know why I left.. You were there when she died... You saw who did it! You know who killed her! So don't ask me why I wasn't here when you already know the answer to that!"

The liquid seemed to stream down the wall more slowly than even possible. Time seemed to momentarily stand still at the call of her rage.

[member="Ayden Cater"]

 

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Ventasia Terana"]

"I do not know if your time away as caused you to see events differently, but I should point out that during the assault at Kayri, I was engaged in a duel with Ashin Varanin." Ayden's voice never waive red, never raised a bit as his eyes bored into hers. "I saw nothing that did not happen on that station." He paused briefly and turned to look at the shattered glass before gesturing with one hand. The shards lifted themselves from their wayward heap and floated through the air to hang in between the individuals.

"It's funny how something can break and at the time we're distraught, thinking of what we lost. When in fact..." He slowly raised his hand and brought it in circles, allowing the shards to spin and refract the light off the setting sun, turning the office into a visual symphony of lights. "We have lost nothing. It was merely transformed." Ayden let that statement hang in the air even as the glass shards were slowly brought down to clink quietly together on the desk. He looked at Ventasia again with a neutral expression. "So what is it that you want, Ventasia? No subtly. No implicit requests or demands. Tell me what it is you want."

 

[Ventasia Terana]

Not what she wanted to hear...

Silence hung in the air for a few moments, the two simply watching one another. With no warning, in a fit of blind rage, Ventasia released her anger once more with a bellowing scream. The force of her scream not blew out the windows of the office, which would announce her return even if that wasn't the intention. Even the shards that once were the drinking glass shattered further, the tiny pieces scattering over the desk. The length of the scream was no more than ten seconds, but it would seem to other as if it lasted far longer. As she finally ceased, the volatile red head leaned further over the table, decreasing the distance by a small bit.

"I told you. Don't get coy. You keep records of everything that happens.. She died.. Ven'Rain died.. And you didn't say so much as a word to me! You couldn't even be bothered to make the slightest attempt! You knew it happened! You know how! And you know who! So tell me..." A small pair of tears formed in the corners of each eyes, sitting for a second before trailing down her cheeks. "Who did it?..."

[member="Ayden Cater"]